Motor-propelled agricultural machinery.



B. H. LAWTER.

MOTOR PROPEL'LED AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1914- B. H. LAWTER.

MOTOR PROPELLED AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3|, 1914. 1,1453? Patented July 6, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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BENJAMIN H. LAWTER, OF NEWCASTLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAWTERTRACTOR 00., 0F ST. MARYS, OI-IIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MOTOR-PBOPELLED AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed January 31, 1913, Serial No. 745,427. Dividedand this application filed March 31, 1914. Serial No. 828,538.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. LAW- run, acitizen of the United States, residing at Newcastle, in the county ofHenry and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements inMotor- Propelled Agricultural Machinery, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to motor propelled agricultural machinery, and itis a division of application, Serial Number 745,427, filed by me onJanuary 31, 1913.

The general object of the invention is to produce a motor driven plow ofsimple and improved construction.

A particular object of the invention is to simplify and improve theconstruction of the means whereby the plows are connected with thetractor.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and improvedmeans whereby the plows may be suspended in a raised position above theground, and whereby the said plows may be released to permit them todrop by gravity to earth-engaging position. 1 I

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise details of-construction thereinexhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within thescope of the claims may be resorted to-when desired.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructedin accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view in sideelevation of the plows constituting the gang and the suspendingandsupporting means. Fig. 3 is a diagram matic plan view of the parts shownin Fig. Fig. 4: is a perspective detail view of one of the plowsupporting latch members or suspending hooks. Fig, 5 is a perspectivedetail view of some of the lifting levers.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

The tractor frame, herein generally designated by F, is supported onground wheels, one of which appears at 43 and on a caster wheel shown at50, the general construction of said frame being fully shown anddescribed in the companion application, Serial No. 745327. Extendingobliquely across the frame on'the underside thereof, and securelyconnected therewith are diagonal bars 67, 68, with which downwardlyextending vertically disposed shafts 69, 70 are suitably connected. Eachshaft 69 depending from the brace 67 is located in transverse alinementwith a shaft 70 depending from the brace 68, and owing to the obliquearrangement of the braces 67, 68, it follows that the several pairs ofshafts 69, 70 are positioned at various distances from the front end ofthe frame, for the convenient attachment of the plows, as will bepresently described. Each of the shafts 69and 70 is provided at itslower end'with a flange collar 71 which in turn is connected by a brace'72 with the frame of the machine. Any desired nurnber of pairs ofshafts may be provided, according to the general dimensions of themachine and the number of plows that may be desired to be used in thegang, and each of the shafts 69 and 70 carries a sleeve 7 3 verticallyadjustable thereon and capable of being secured at various adjustmentsby a set screw 74. Each of the sleeves 73 is provided with a lug 75.Each of the plows Patented July 6, 1915.

includes a beam 76 providedv with forwardly divergent arms 7 7 which arepivotally connected with the lugs 75 of the sleeves 73 associated with apair of shafts 69 and 70. It will be evident that by proper adjustmentof the sleeves 73 on the respective shafts, the front ends of the plowbeams may be raised or lowered for the purpose of causing the points ofthe plows to engage the ground at the desired angle for plowing apredetermined depth, such. adiustment being eifected before starting theoperation of plowing.

Transverse supporting shafts 92, 93 and 94: are provided, one for eachof the plows of which three have been shown, the forward left-hand plowbeing designated by I shaft 93.

P, the middle plow by P, and the righthand rear plow by P. Tach of theshafts 92, 93 and 94; carries a spring actuated hook or latch member 95,said latch members being adapted toengage pins or studs 96 on the beamsof the respective plows for the purpose of supporting said plows abovethe ground, out of position for operation. The shaft 92 carries a bellcrank having arms, one of which, 97, is connected by a link 98 with thebeam of the plow P, the other arm, 99, of said bell crank beingconnected by a link 100 with an arm 101. that extends radially from theshaft 93 on which it is loosely mounted. The shaft 93 carries a sleeve10% having radial'arms 105, 107, one of'which,

.105, is connected by a link 106 with the beam 76 of the plow 1 Theshaft 94 carries a sleeve 109 which is provided with radial arms thatcombine to form a bell crank, one of said arms, 110, being connected bya link 111 with the beam 76 of the plow P, the other arm 112 of the bellcrank being extended downwardly from the sleeve. An additional arm orlever 113 extending radially from the shaft 94 adjacent to the sleeve109 constitutes a hand lever which is extended within convenient reachof the operator. The crank arm 112 and the lever 113 are connected bylinks 11 1, 115 with the arms. of a lever 116' fulcrumed on the Ashaft118, which is supported in parallel relation to the shafts 92, 93 and 91 carries a series .of foot levers, three of which are designated by thenumerals 119, 119', 119, each of said foot leversbeing connected by alink 120 with one of the latch members 95 for the purpose of actuatingsuch latch member to release the plow supported thereby and permit suchplow to drop by gravity to a ground engaging position. It has alreadybeen stated that each of the latch members 95 is spring actuated tomaintain it in an engaging position with respect to the pin 96 of one ofthe plow beams. It will be further noted that each of the actuatinglevers has a collar 121, see Fig. 5, provided with a notch 122 whichreceives a pin or stud 123 extending from the shaft 118 on which thesaid levers are mounted, thereby limiting the movement of the latchmembers without interfering with their operation.- An additional footlever 12 1- is secured on theshaft 118 by means such as a set screw,indicated in Fig. 5 at 25; by means of said footlever the shaft 118 maybe rocked for the purpose of actuating the three latch members throughthe medium of the pins 123 engaging the walls of the notches 122, thuspermitting the three plows to be simultaneously released and restoredfrom an elevated to a ground engaging position.

For the purpose of raising or lifting the plows manually, as willsometimes be necessary when the machine is in motion, hand levers 126,126 are provided, said hand levers serving to elevate the plows P and P;the plow P being lifted by means of the hand lever 113, previouslydescribed. The levers 126, 126 are fulcrumed on the shaft 94: which alsocarries the hand lever 113, and said hand levers are extended withinconvenient reach of the operator. The lever 126 is connected by a link127 which slidably engages a lug 128 extending from said lever, see Fig.3, with the lever 101 which rocks on the shaft 93 and which, aspreviously described, is connected by the link 100 with the arm 99 ofthe bell crank controlling the plow P. It will be seen that bymanipulating the lever 126 the bell crank may be rocked so as to liftthe plow P. A link 129 which slidably engages a lug 130 projecting fromthe lever 126 connects said lever with the arm 107 of the bell crankcontrolling the plow P so that the latter may be lifted by manipulatingthe lever 126. The link 115 which connects the hand lever 113 with thelever 116 slidably engages a lug 131 projecting from said hand lever 113by manipulating which latter the lever 116 may be rocked to actuate thebell crank comprising the arms 112, 110 and which controls the plow P"for the purpose of lifting the latter. By reason of the links 127, 129and 115 being slidably connected with the hand levers 126, 126 and 113,it is obvious that when power means are employed 100 for the purpose oflifting the plows, the position of the hand levers controlling saidplows remains unchanged, and the hand lifting means for the severalplows may be employed independently of one another with- 105 outconflict.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a machine of the class described, a tractor frame, diagonal barsconnected there- 110 with, shafts depending from the diagonal bars andarranged in pairs transversely of the frame, and a plurality of plowseach having a beam provided with forwardly diverging arms, each pair ofdiverging arms 115 being connected with a pair of shafts.

2. A tractor frame having a pair of parallel diagonal bars connectedtherewith,

shafts depending from said bars and ar- 1,1&5,776

on the shafts, and a gang of plows, each plow being connected with thecollars on a pair of shafts.

4. A tractor frame, a pair of bars extending obliquely across andconnected with the frame, shafts depending from said bars, said shaftsbeing arranged in pairs transversely of the frame, collars adjustable onthe shaft, a gang of plows including beams, and means for connecting thebeam of each plow pivotally with the collars of a pair of shafts.

5. A tractor frame, a pair of parallel bars extending obliquely acrossand connected with the frame, shafts depending from said bars andarranged in pairs transversely of the machine, said shafts beingpositioned at various distances from the front end of the frame, collarsvertically adjustable on the shafts, means for securing the collars atvarious adjustments, a gang of plows including beams, each beam beingprovided with forwardly divergent arms, and means for pivotallyconnecting the divergent arms of each beam with the collars of a pair ofshafts.

6. A tractor frame, pairs of substantially vertical shafts associatedtherewith, said pairs of shafts being positioned at various distancesfrom the front end of the frame, a gang of plows including beams, thebeam of each plow being connected for vertical adjustment with a pair ofshafts, a plurality of shafts positioned above the several plows, aspring actuated latch member on each shaft, and pins associated with therespective plow beams for engagement with the several latch members tosupport the plows in raised position.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN H. LAWTER.

Witnesses:

. A. J. INDERRIEDEN, H. E. JENNINGS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

